This invention relates generally to medical device support equipment and more specifically to a band for securing and aligning a tubular medical device relative a portion of a human body.
Frequently, convalescing patients require continuous medical treatment such as that provided by medical devices assisting with respiration, medication, monitoring and/or drainage of bodily fluids of the patient. These medical devices typically require lengths of medical tubing, such as catheters, ventilators, electrical leads and the like, attached between the patient and a base unit to provide treatment. Because the medical tubing must be maintained in a relatively fixed position on the patient for extended periods of time, it is desirable to attach the tubing to the patient to accommodate movement of the patient without disturbing the attachment of the tubing.
Oftentimes, for lack of a fully versatile band, the medical tubing is attached by taping the tubing down against the patient's skin or clothing. Clearly, tape is the least desirable choice for securing and aligning medical tubing relative a patient, since patient excretions such as perspiration, blood or saliva can wet the tape, causing it to loosen and the medical tubing to become dislodged. As a result, there are presently a number of devices available for securing catheters and the like to a person's limb.
For example Kovacs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,894, provides a band for securing a catheter to a limb comprising a stretchable primary strap adapted to encircle the limb, and a secondary strap fixedly attached to the primary strap. The exposed surface of the primary strap adjacent the secondary strap is made of a soft, looped fabric and the outwardly facing surface of the secondary strap is made of a male VELCRO.RTM.-type fastening material, wherein the secondary strap is designed to be looped over and encircle the catheter and connect with the looped fabric of the primary strap to hold the catheter securely in place. Although perhaps an improvement over merely taping the catheter to the patient's skin or clothing, the device by Kovacs does not offer the same versatility as that provided by taping. Instead, the device by Kovacs predetermines the precise location of the attachment of the tubing to the band by fixing the location of the secondary strap relative the primary strap. Therefore, the primary strap must be re-positioned to adjust the orientation of the tubing relative the limb.
Similarly, the catheter tube holder strap provided by Hasslinger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,348, describes primary strap sections which encircle a limb, and a secondary flexible strap section which loops about and adheres to itself and to the surface of a catheter tube. The secondary flexible strap section is adapted to be placed in selective detachable engagement with the surface of the primary strap section, wherein the primary strap section attaches to itself over and around the secondary strap section, fully encompassing the catheter tube and secondary strap section for support. As such, Hasslinger also does not provide the versatility which is afforded by merely taping the catheter as required to the patient's skin and clothing. Instead, Hasslinger also limits the placement of the catheter relative the holder strap by requiring the primary strap section to overlap the secondary flexible strap section to support the catheter tube. As a result, the catheter must be located near the overlapping region of the primary strap section to be secured properly. Other straps and bands for anchoring medical tubing which also fix a secondary or catheter holding strap relative a primary strap are discussed in Kaplan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,863 and Garrow, U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,566.
One specific example demonstrating a need for a more versatile medical tubing support device is the respiratory tubing associated with tracheotomy patients. Previous appliances for supporting respiratory tubing adjacent a patient's chest or back portion have employed a plate-like base contoured to lie upon a patient's chest or corresponding back portion. See, for example, Heitzman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,798. In such an application, the variation in size of the torso of patients is considerably greater than the variation in limb size. Also, the location of the respiratory tubing must be more precisely controlled to prevent spasms or normal movements of the patient from causing the life-sustaining respiratory equipment to be displaced. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a medical tubing support device which is easily adjusted to properly secure and align medical tubing relative a patient's torso.
A need therefore exists for an improved band which both secures and aligns a tubular medical device adjacent a portion of a human body. Such a band should be tape-free to avoid the many problems associated with taping tubular medical devices to a patient's skin or clothing, while still providing the attachment versatility of tape. Also, such a device should securely affix the medical tubing relative a patient's body to discourage self or accidental removal and disconnection of the medical tubing, and to prevent irritation and gouging caused by movement of the medical tubing relative the patient. Such a device should be comfortable to the patient and provide cushioning between the tubing and the patient. Therefore, the device should be without metallic mechanical attachments, such as metal hooks and buttons.
Further, such a device should be conveniently and efficiently manipulated to secure and align medical tubing relative the patient, without requiring disconnection of the medical tubing for use with the device and without semi-permanently attaching the device to the medical tubing. Preferably, such a device should be infinitely adjustable both with respect to the secure mounting of the band to the patient and the secure mounting of the tubular medical device to the band. Most importantly, such a device should permit the adjustment of the location of the tubing relative the primary strap without a re-positioning or otherwise affecting the primary strap. Ideally, such a device would resist the lavaging of accumulated moisture and degradation. Regardless, such a device should be simple to manufacture so that it may be economically and sanitarily discarded after use.